#34 tone profile -- too trebly?

[Slashwannabe1]

If anyone wants to get close to that #34 tone on their VM 2466...try this:

Master: 4-6
Presence: 7
Bass: 7
Middle: 6 1/2
Treble: 7
High Dynamic Range
Mid Boost off/out
Detail: 10
Body: 0

Its not 100% but it gets really close on the leads & rhythms of the Use Your Illusions albums...still gotta fine tune it some more but I couldn't stop jamming today to the UYI & Spaghetti Incident songs. Reminded me a lot of the AFD100 sound & UYI tone set this way.

[Mats A]

We all have different tastes in tone wich is a blessing. The lead tone on UYI is a bit better than the rythm tone though. Think i read also he had the graphic in the loop and boosted mids. But if he used that #34 amp that must have been impossible since it have no effects loop. But if he used the Jubilees then it´s a different story. Think he had some kind of feedback thing with some speaker or something in the control room since, if i´m not wrong here, was where he played.

[Slashwannabe1]

We all have different tastes in tone wich is a blessing. The lead tone on UYI is a bit better than the rythm tone though. Think i read also he had the graphic in the loop and boosted mids. But if he used that #34 amp that must have been impossible since it have no effects loop. But if he used the Jubilees then it´s a different story. Think he had some kind of feedback thing with some speaker or something in the control room since, if i´m not wrong here, was where he played.

You're correct about the speaker/feedback device he used, I'm not exactly clear on what it was but it involved a Mesa amplifier.

Its really kind of odd, because I get that same kind of exact bleeding feedback as heard at the ending of the song Coma with my VM...maybe its got to do with 6L6 Mesa based circut thats similar to the KT66? I don't know but I can easily attain that feedback with my VM.

You're also correct about Slash playing in the control room, he hates monitors and prefers the control room so that he can hear as it would be live...I tend to agree with him on this.

As for the Jubilees, Slash never recorded a song with them on any album with the Jubilees until he used his signature model 2555 on Velvet Revolvers 2004 song "You Got No Right", he's stated this as the first time he's ever used them on a proper studio recording.

I believe Slash in that #34 is the amp used on all of the UYI recordings & Spaghetti Incident, its very consistent with the tone of the #34 amp clips & AFD100s #34 channel without any eq involved in the front or loop (or lack of on his original #34). Slash stated in one of the AFD100 web videos that he's never used the FX loop but it would be a good idea to include one on the AFD100. Slash also said he used up to 10 different guitars for fills & odd ball sounds on the UYI records. Among them, an Explorer,Strat,Main recording Les Paul copy,real Les Paul,Travis Bean for the slide parts as well as a flmenco guitar among them.

The Boss GE-7 eq was used live, they said in the loop back then but it was a front booster as to protect his tone then....I spoke with Adam Day (Slash's old tech) about this about 3 months ago and thats how he said Slash ran his Jubilees live was in front, much as he does everything now through the front. People say he used the EQ as a solo boost but its total BS seeing as the Jubilees have a built in lead & output master so you can control rhythm & lead volume seperate from eachother.

[Mats A]

From what I have heard from people that have the afd100 and also have modded jcm800's with the #34 mod is that the #34 mode on the afd100 is inferior to their modded jcm800 with #34 mod. They have said they have a lot of trouble dialing it in and nailing the illusuins tones with the afd100. And that their modded 800s nail the 34 tone

Asked Santiago about this. He said he had the chance to open up the real #34 amp and the #34 mode on the AFD is exactly like that amp. So if so it´s there modded JCM800´s that is not correct sounding.

[Steven Latch]

Finally got my AFD. I must admit I am not warming up yet the the #34 mode. It's not as much trebly as it is "thin". But I agree it needs to be heard in an band context.

I need to break the amp a little more though. But the AFD mode is spot on. Truly plug and play and with a really minimum amont of hum.

[gtrman]

Finally got my AFD. I must admit I am not warming up yet the the #34 mode. It's not as much trebly as it is "thin". But I agree it needs to be heard in an band context.

I need to break the amp a little more though. But the AFD mode is spot on. Truly plug and play and with a really minimum amont of hum.

Congrats on finally getting it.
All your impressions are spot on to mine ... and after a weeks playing I'm even more happy with it so play on brother :-)

[Slashwannabe1]

From what I have heard from people that have the afd100 and also have modded jcm800's with the #34 mod is that the #34 mode on the afd100 is inferior to their modded jcm800 with #34 mod. They have said they have a lot of trouble dialing it in and nailing the illusuins tones with the afd100. And that their modded 800s nail the 34 tone

Asked Santiago about this. He said he had the chance to open up the real #34 amp and the #34 mode on the AFD is exactly like that amp. So if so it´s there modded JCM800´s that is not correct sounding.

I agree, I'd trust Santiago who actually looked at Slash's amp before a bunch of forum trolls who jerk eachother off on that one amp modding forum lol. I wasn't talking about Kevin, he's cool, just talking about that one forum out there I've been reading stuff about the #34 on recently where people do the #34 mod, lots of people there have no clue about what Slash used let alone the mod for the #34.

Whenever I hear somebody whos supposed to be even a boarderline Slash tone expert question weather Slash used the Jubilees on the UYI record, I start to seriously doubt their Amplifier modding skills & acuracy of the #34 tone. What I read recently about this one top modder on a forum really made me think wow!.

Kevins #34 clips he posted a while back sounded good though.

[Herbvis]

Santiago obviously was able to recreate #34 spec wise as he was able to investigate the actual amp so that is correct. However, if you look at the guts of #34 (or a jcm 800 in general) and look at the guts of the afd100, its a whole different game. the components(caps resistors transformers etc etc) have a great effect on the overall amp. So while the values of the afd100 #34 may be correct, the final product im guessing is probably a bit different. Not saying the afd100 is bad, just different technology.

And btw, the specs on the metro forum for #34 are correct , the info is from "someone" who has serviced #34, Info from Frank Levi ( super cool guy!), and of course, the afd100 investigation video gives the mod away 100%!

Glad yall liked my clip though Ive got some different specs of my #36 clone that I have been working on! I think I may nail the #36 tone 100% soon!

[Mats A]

If the curcuit is the same then it should sound the same. What do you mean with the guts making a difference? I´m sure Slash tested it and compared it to his original #34 amp. Don´t think he should have approved it if it didn´t sound and feel the same. Have these guys with the mod actually tried Slash amp. According to a video on the AFD site think it´s Slash guitar tech who says that they had tried one of Tim Casswell´s amps that should be modded like the amp that was suposedly used on the AFD album. But according to Slash it didn´t sound right.

[Slashwannabe1]

Santiago obviously was able to recreate #34 spec wise as he was able to investigate the actual amp so that is correct. However, if you look at the guts of #34 (or a jcm 800 in general) and look at the guts of the afd100, its a whole different game. the components(caps resistors transformers etc etc) have a great effect on the overall amp. So while the values of the afd100 #34 may be correct, the final product im guessing is probably a bit different. Not saying the afd100 is bad, just different technology.

And btw, the specs on the metro forum for #34 are correct , the info is from "someone" who has serviced #34, Info from Frank Levi ( super cool guy!), and of course, the afd100 investigation video gives the mod away 100%!

Glad yall liked my clip though Ive got some different specs of my #36 clone that I have been working on! I think I may nail the #36 tone 100% soon!

I wouldn't mind getting an old JCM 800 with 65/50s and trying the #34 mod & add power scaling myself, I don't really need the AFD tone so much so thats not a problem...do you have the #34 schematic?

[Herbvis]

If the curcuit is the same then it should sound the same. What do you mean with the guts making a difference? I´m sure Slash tested it and compared it to his original #34 amp. Don´t think he should have approved it if it didn´t sound and feel the same. Have these guys with the mod actually tried Slash amp. According to a video on the AFD site think it´s Slash guitar tech who says that they had tried one of Tim Casswell´s amps that should be modded like the amp that was suposedly used on the AFD album. But according to Slash it didn´t sound right.

Caswells amps dont sound the same as afd b/c Tim Caswells #39 was not used on afd. Frank Levi "copied" #39's mod into another amp (#36) and then revoiced it to his liking. Thats why Caswells amps sound similar, but not right on. (BTW, Frank Levi did tweak #39 after tim modded it.)

The #34 amp circuit may be the same as the afd 100, but the components used are differnet brands, materials etc. Think of amp components like you think of nos tubes. Theres a reason why people prefere nos mullards, tungsol etc etc. Same goes for amp components. (#34 actually has a nos mullard 470n tropical fish cap on the 3rd gain stages 820(actually measures more like 1k in slashs amp) it .

Not trying to argue, Just wanted to share some info. Im no pro amp modder/builder/ But I know way more than anyone should about #36 and #34! Its a little unhealthy if you ask me!

-- Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:06 pm --

Santiago obviously was able to recreate #34 spec wise as he was able to investigate the actual amp so that is correct. However, if you look at the guts of #34 (or a jcm 800 in general) and look at the guts of the afd100, its a whole different game. the components(caps resistors transformers etc etc) have a great effect on the overall amp. So while the values of the afd100 #34 may be correct, the final product im guessing is probably a bit different. Not saying the afd100 is bad, just different technology.

And btw, the specs on the metro forum for #34 are correct , the info is from "someone" who has serviced #34, Info from Frank Levi ( super cool guy!), and of course, the afd100 investigation video gives the mod away 100%!

Glad yall liked my clip though Ive got some different specs of my #36 clone that I have been working on! I think I may nail the #36 tone 100% soon!

I wouldn't mind getting an old JCM 800 with 65/50s and trying the #34 mod & add power scaling myself, I don't really need the AFD tone so much so thats not a problem...do you have the #34 schematic?

the #34 mod is pretty simple. Just a few extra parts added. The only thing that is a pain in the ass is most jcm800's arent point to point so it can be a small pain to work on the board.

[Mats A]

I don´t think there are any point to point JCM800´s.
I´m quite sure Santiago meassured the curcuit in Slash #34 amp.

[Herbvis]

sorry, I was thinking 2203's being ptp.

Also, Santiago posted the #34 specs on another forum yesterday. He stated that there is a .470n across the 820ohm of the 3rd gain stage in #34, but for the afd100 it was changed to a .680n to accomodate the #36 mode.

The specs I have for #34 are the same except for a treble peaking cap value was changed from stock

[Mats A]

sorry, I was thinking 2203's being ptp.

Also, Santiago posted the #34 specs on another forum yesterday. He stated that there is a .470n across the 820ohm of the 3rd gain stage in #34, but for the afd100 it was changed to a .680n to accomodate the #36 mode.

The specs I have for #34 are the same except for a treble peaking cap value was changed from stock

Wich forum was this?

[Slash1337]

You're also correct about Slash playing in the control room, he hates monitors and prefers the control room so that he can hear as it would be live...I tend to agree with him on this.

But the monitors are in the control room... I thought he likes the monitors cranked so it gives as close to possible a live "vibe"